Display device for foodstuffs



H. E. CHRISTENSEN EI'AL DISPLAY DEVICE FQKFOODS'I'UFFS Dec. 28, 1948.

Filed Oct. 11, 1945 Patented Dec. 28, 1948 DISPLAY DEVICE FOR FOODSTUFFSHarold E. Christensen, Wilmette, 111., John J. I Stein, Cleveland, Ohio,and Arthur S. Kester,

Chicago, Ill.

Application October 11, 1945, Serial No. 621,746

2 Claims.

This invention relates to display devices in general and moreparticularly to counter display devices for displaying foodstuffs, suchas nuts, cookies, etc.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improvedilluminated display device wherein the source of illumination for thedisplay device also provides heat for freshening or crisping thefoodstuffs being displayed. In carrying out this object of the inventionthere is provided a base having an electric light bulb protrudingtherefrom and a transparent container for the foodstuff carried by the.base and provided with a recess for accommodating the electric lightbulb whereby the foodstufi in they container is displayed to advantageand is maintained fresh and crisp. The container is also provided withan opening whereby the attractively displayed foodstuff may be directlydispensed in fresh and crisp condition. The compact nature of thedisplay device and the central location of the course of light and heatalso provides for eflicient lighting and heating. Such an arrangement,because of its heating as well as lighting characteristics, is alsosuitable for other displaying purposes, such as displaying tropicalfish, and such further purposes as come within the purview of thisinvention.

Another object of this invention is to provide the display device withsuitable electrical connections and fittings to facilitate tandemarrange ment of a plurality of such devices requiring only a singleextension cord leading to a conventional plug in or wall plug. Furtherobjects reside in the details of construction of the display device.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled inthe art upon reference to the accompanying specification, claims anddrawing in whlch- Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of thedisplay device;

Figure 2 is a plan view illustrating a plurality of display devicesconnected in tandem;

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the display device of Figure l; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of the display device.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 3, the display device comprises a baseIll, a transparent container I I and a cover I2 providing access intothe container II.

The base I includes side walls I3 which are cut away at I4 to providelegs I5 and which are also cut away at I6 to provide shoulders H forenhancing the appearance of the base. A floor I8 is located between theside walls I3 and is suitably secured thereto as by spot welding. Thefloor is is provided with an electric light socket I9 which facesupwardly and carries an electric light bulb 20. Electrical energy issupplied tothe socket I!) by an extension cord 2| provided with theusual plug 22 adapted to be inserted in the usual wall socket.Electrical energy is also supplied from the light bulb socket I9 by anelectrical connection 23 to a female socket 24 suitably secured to theside wall l3 of the base Ill. The female socket 24 and the electriclight socket I9 are connected in parallel and the female socket opensoutwardl through the side wall I3 of'the base. The extension cord 2| maypass through a suitable grommet 25 in the side wall I3 of the base. 7

The transparent container. Il may .be made of glass or suitable plasticand comprises side walls merging into a bottom wall 3|. The bottom wall3| is indented at 32 to provide an external recess 33 for accommodatingthe socket I9 and the light bulb 20 when the container I I is mounted onthe base Ill. The upper end of the container I I is provided with anopening 34 to provide access into the container.

The cover l2 may be of usual construction formed from a plate 35 andhaving a flange 35 formed into screw threads for coacting with screwthreads formed on the container I I adjacent the opening 34, If desired,the cover may be provided with a suitable gasket 31 for more positivelysealing the opening 34 in the container.

The container II is mounted on the base II] by inserting it within theside walls I3 of the base In so that the bottom wall 3| of the containerll rests on the floor l8 of the base II]. A gasket 39 of resilientmaterial may be inserted between the side wall I3 and the container IIfor more readily retaining the container II on the base In.

When electrical energy is supplied to the light bulb 20, the interior ofthe container II and also the foodstuffs contained therein areattractively illuminated, and the heat given off by the light bulb 20 istransmitted to the interior of the containerll for freshenlng andcrisping the foodstuffs contained therein. The light bulb 20 associatedwith the arrangement herein disclosed, therefore performs two functions,that of attractively illuminating and displaying the foodstuifs withinthe transparent container II and that of heating the interior of thecontainer II for freshening and crisping the foodstuff containedtherein.

The female socket 24 being electrically connected in parallel to theelectric light socket I9 permits ready association of a-plurality ofdisplay devices in tandem, as shown in Figure 2, where three displaydevices are illustrated and are designated at ID, IDA and IIIB. Theextension cord 2IA of the base IUA is inserted in the female socket 24of the base In and the exten sion cord 2IB of the base IOB is insertedin the female socket 24A of the base IDA. Thus when the plug 22 of theextension cord 2| is inserted in the usual wall outlet, the electriclight bulbs in all of the devices will be connected in parallel and 1simultaneously illuminated. Therefore, all of the display devices may besupplied with electrical energy from a single extension cord. Thistandem arrangement 01 the display devices makes a Very attractivecounter display and dispensing arrangement.

Figure 4 shows a slightly modified form of the display device. Itutilizes the same base H], but the transparent container 4| is providedwith an openin at the top of the container and at an angle to the baseto provide access from the top and front of the container into theinterior thereof. The opening into the container 4| may be provided witha suitable cover 42 similar to the cover l2 of Figure .1. Of course,this invention may also be utilized in connection with coin controlleddispensing machines and the like.

While for purposes of illustration two formscf this invention have beendisclosed, other forms thereof may become apparent to those skilled inthe art, and, therefore, this invention is to be'limited only by thescope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A food crisping and display device for displaying and crispingfoodstuffs comprising a base having an electric light socket facingupwardly from the base for receiving an electric lightbulb to provide asource of heatand light, and a transparent container for the foodstuffscarried by the base and including a recess in the bottom thereof foraccommodating the electric light bulb to heat and illuminate thecontainer for displaying and crisping the foodstuffs therein, an openingat the top of the container to provide access into the container fordispensing the foodstuffs and a cover for the opening.

2. A food crisping and display device for displaying and crispingfoodstufis comprising a base having a vertically extending flange aroundthe top thereof and an electric light socket at the center of the baseand facing upwardly therefrom for receiving an electric light bulb toprovide a source of heat and light, and a transparent container for thefoodstuffs carried by the base within the vertically extending flangeand including a recess in th bottom thereof for accommodating theelectric light bulb to heat and illuminate the container for displayingand crisping the foodstufis therein, an opening at the top of thecontainer to provide access into the container for dispensing thefoodstuffs and a cover for the opening.

HAROLD E. CHRISTENSEN.

JOHN J. STEIN.

ARTHUR S. KESTER.

REFEREIICES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 697,825 Fisk Apr. 15, 19021,144,508 Taylor June 29, 1915 1,767,262 Schmitz June 24, 1930 1,787,703Rau Jan. 6, 1931 2,230,900 Neitzke Feb, 4, 1941

